The latest distribution update for Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS has been generated, bringing improvements in hardware support, updates to the Linux kernel and graphics stack, as well as fixes for errors in the installer and bootloader. This update also includes patches for several hundred packages to address vulnerabilities and stability issues. Similar updates have been released for Kubuntu 24.04.4 LTS, Ubuntu Budgie 24.04.4 LTS, Ubuntu MATE 24.04.4 LTS, Lubuntu 24.04.4 LTS, Ubuntu Kylin 24.04.4 LTS, Ubuntu Studio 24.04.4 LTS, Xubuntu 24.04.4 LTS, Edubuntu 24.04.4 LTS, Ubuntu Cinnamon 24.04.4 LTS, and Ubuntu Unity 24.04.4 LTS.
Some improvements backported from the Ubuntu 25.10 release have been included in this update, such as packages with the Linux kernel version 6.17, updated components of the graphics stack like Mesa 25.2.7 and Wayland Protocols 1.45, and new versions of video drivers for Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA chips. Additionally, updated versions of packages like openvswitch 3.3.4, cloud-init 25.2, netplan 1.1.2, OpenLDAP 2.6.10, .NET 8.0.23, and Snapd 2.73 are part of this release.
For desktop builds (Ubuntu Desktop), the new kernel and graphics stack are offered by default. However, for server systems (Ubuntu Server), the new kernel is added as an option in the installer. It is recommended to use the new builds for new installations, while existing systems can receive all the changes through the standard update installation system.
It’s important to note that a rolling update support model is used for delivering new versions of the kernel and graphics stack. Backported kernels and drivers will only be supported until the next corrective update of the LTS branch of Ubuntu is released. The Linux 6.17 kernel provided in this release will be supported until the release of Ubuntu 24.04.5, at which point the kernel from Ubuntu 26.04 will be offered. The initial 6.8 base kernel will be supported for the full five-year maintenance cycle.
To downgrade Ubuntu Desktop to the 6.8 base kernel, users can run the command: sudo apt install --install-recommends linux-generic. For installing the new kernel on Ubuntu Server, the command to run is provided in the